Housing estate “Jary” managed by one co-operative has been inhabited by about 15 000 thousand people.
The most important factor was declining quality and appearance of buildings. The green spaces between them were neglected also. Those features caused growing dissatisfaction of inhabitants and depreciation of dwellings.

Of course there are many other great housing estates in Warsaw and in other cities in Poland in the worse condition, but one of the first decisions about modernization of the whole neighbourhood unit was undertaken just there.

Inhabitants had problems with water tubes in their houses: they were made of cast iron and their quality was very bad, so after 20 years since construction their failures were often, especially with hot water. Co-operative decided to change it for plastic tubes and troubles finished. In the same time central heating installation was repaired, part of it was changed and generally inhabitants had little bit warmer dwellings for the same money.

All those operations were possible because members of this co-operative paid systematically for so called modernization fund, and co-operative had money for it. But thermo insulation of buildings made of concrete great plates remained to be done. It needed big money and complicated organization of works.

Luckily actual vice-president of Co-operative “Jary” worked in neighbour co-operative before, where took place an experiment of Danish group. They demonstrated how to warm all building– walls and roof on two examples. Economy of energy was more than 45 %. After some years he repeated this operation in the greater scale: 84 great many-storied buildings were insulated during three years.

This programme was possible thanks to Act of Thermo Insulation passed by parliament at the end of 1998. According to it, they established state. Thermo-renovation Fund to provide financial assistance to investors implementing heating efficiency improvement measure using loans granted by commercial banks.

An investor who has implemented such a measure may obtain a so-called heating efficiency improvement premium. The decisions on the award of heating efficiency improvement premiums are taken by the National Economy Bank, which manages this Fund. It is special bonus - 25 percent of total credit amount given by this bank.

The second very important factor has been construction of new buildings by co-operative and private developers. It was not a part of programme but rather spontaneous activity. This area has been very attractive for living because of the line of metro – first line in Poland. This tube line has been connected those peripherial housing estates with city centre since 1995. New constructions enabled expansion of shops and services. There were not to much of them before. Most of these new buildings arose along roads directed to city centre, so they fullfilled empty areas so characteristic to modernistic, postwar housing estates.

Covered area:

It was independent decision of Co-operative “Jary”; great panel technology houses were built 25 years before. It is an older part of the great housing belt that has been built since 1978. The oldest part of buildings had dirty, destroyed façades and bad thermal isolation. Green areas were neglected, sometimes never managed. In the same time, local authority (as a government of district of capital city) decided about wide programme of social aspects improvement of all its area. We can evaluate this policy as a new style of thinking after system transformation.

General improvement of quality of life by changing installations inside buildings, thermo insulation, improvement of environment of buildings (parking places and garages, green spaces, playgrounds) and better welfare, in this wide action against drugs, alcohol, pathology in families, offences and crime, etc. On other side they proposed better conditions for recreation and sport, education and cultural development.

First of all Co-operative “Jary” undertook the decision about thermo insulation of all their 84 houses. (All inside water and gas installations was changed 3-4 years before, and similarly central heating system was repaired.)

Important part of this action was process of building of new houses, mostly with shops and other services on the ground floor and. This way they completed range of services, so neglected during communist period. Those new buildings have been built along existing road-streets, so this estate is more similar to the traditional city.

Part of the programme was assistance of the commune (municipal) management (roads and little roads between the buildings, pavements, bike paths, green spaces, health and safety).

The great barrier of further development was change of administrative division of Warsaw decided by new Sejm (Parliament) in 2003, after 8 years of existence of independent gminas (communes). Since 2003 almost all decisions have been undertaken by centralized, entire Warsaw authority. One of the effects of this policy was decline of social participation and worse engagement of local officials.

Another obstruction is a result of regulations regarding co-operative sin Poland. All the important decisions must be undertaken by majority of their members, so installment buying of terrain for new investment or construction of new buildings is very difficult. An example: there is a plan for demolish of three pavilions and to build new many-storied buildings with dwellings and services. Process of taking decisions lasts two years.

At the same time, when following buildings were warmed they got new colour plasters, most of windows in stairways were changed, plenty of entrances to the houses were modernized. Gradually car parks were built, some narrow streets were widened. In the centre of estate they created new park located on the waste land, in the front axe of the church. There are new safe and attractive playgrounds in the park. There is also enclosed and lighted sport ground with artificial surface.

There have been great, not built-up terrains along main streets of the estates, that have been reserved “for future and unknown services” from 25 years. Recently urban authorities decided to sell part of them.
As a result arose modern train of houses with place for shops and services on the ground floor. This way they created traditional street, and new buildings closed open areas of the estate. Some of those houses were built as a gated community. In the same time almost all old buildings were fitted out with electronic entrances so difference between old and new gated buildings was diminished.

During last ten years, when whole housing estate belt in southern part of Warsaw became independent gmina (borough) as a result of post-communist decentralization, plenty of different matters were decided close to the inhabitants. They could put forward their proposals, and many of them were realized, because local officials had the money in their disposal. Influence of inhabitants on their environment was growing up. Opening Polish economy and people after “iron curtain” abolition gave the chance for new type of thinking, new technologies etc. In the “Jary” Estate live more well educated people: journalists, artists, officials, scientists etc. than in other estates. Their consciousness of changes was higher than in other part of city. So their pressure and share in new enterprises was effective.

An important factor has been construction of new buildings by co-operative an d private developers. It was not a part of programme but rather spontaneous activity.

The project of improvement of the estate was integrated but rather in unintentional way. Policies on different levels of management brought positive results. On the state level – Thermo-insulation Act enabled physical modernization of buildings (there is no housing policy in Poland during last 20 years). Municipality profited anti-alcohol funds and together with former borough authority implemented very efficient programmes of battle against drugs and alcohol in the whole estate.

Cooperation with schools, hospitals, students, NGO-s, volunteers, police etc was undertaken. Similar situation regarded safety. Several different level institutions like co-operatives, welfare services, police, sport organizations, custodians, lawyers, psychologists etc. have worked together so life in this area is safer now.

Only developers as private investors engaged in those programmes. They built new houses for their profit. Next investors are those who bought surface for services in these buildings (pharmacies, travel agencies, opticians, videotheques, barbers etc.)

Public consultations are positive only in the sphere of physical modernization of existing buildings. Against other proposals as new housing investments people usually protested.

In this area was used strategy to improve physical state of estate. Priority was given to thermo-insulation, other actions were rather like supplement or result. On other side they regarded mostly social matters so they did not need physical investments.

Priority was given by co-operative to thermo-insulation of buildings. Priority of municipal authority was given to built new houses inside of existing estate.

The most important result is that this housing estate is no longer the peripheral one. Thanks to metro line, trip to city centre lasts 15 minutes. New services implemented to estate provide normal existence of inhabitants, it is not only dormitory of Warsaw now. Plenty of new jobs were established in this area, which became in fashion now, houses look like new ones, so prices of old and new dwellings are growing up.

Projects of modernization of façades, entrances to the houses etc. was realized almost perfectly. Decision about improving of new buildings especially along the streets broken modernistic image of estate. Plenty of new shops and services, park and other green spaces enhanced living standards of inhabitants.

The results of modernization are very positive, though this is not a last stage. In next step they project general improvement of green spaces in the estate. Up to now there was lack of money for it. In spite of the tendency of escape for one family house outside city most of the inhabitants of this estate wont to stay there, some of them changed their dwellings one or two times in the frames of it.

We suppose that key factor is simultaneous action in different spheres: physical improvement of estate and interventions in social and economic spheres. Especially in social matters multidirectional activity improved quality of life: health, education, safety, recreation and sport, culture, unemployment. Enrichment of estate with services gave higher quality of life and metro line ensure easy communication with city centre.

Decisions of parliament about new administrative division of Warsaw. Actual system is more centralistic and makes decisions more difficult. Different acts about co-operatives make the system of undertaking decisions more difficult also. Third factor is beginning real democracy in Poland: participation of inhabitants in planning and making decisions means plenty of selfish opinions rather than social and neighbourhood approach.

Older inhabitants of this estate protested against those investments because they lost some open area, sun, place for their dogs, noise and disorder of construction, but after it was completed they are mostly glad. Terrain around their houses is finished in new style, they have new park places and places in new underground garages, beautiful green spaces and plenty of shops and services. There are many jobs in new activities close to their houses.

All older and new inhabitants of the estate, owners of the shops and services in the area – this estate is attracting quite well situated people: students, older people and young couples with or without children.

SMB “Jary”
Fax: +48 (22) 641 69 51
Mr Grzegorz KRETKIEWICZ (speaking french) (Vice-president of Co-oprerative “Jary”), tel. +48 (22) 641 66 04

/06/2001

case

Urban Policy

Urban environment